THIS WEEK’S 5 IMPAIRED DRIVING CHARGES — 3 WITHIN 24 HOURS — KEEP OPP FOCUSSED ON SUMMER ROAD SAFETY

Police say recent arrests across Muskoka

underscore dangers of impaired driving

as enforcement continues in busy summer

By Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

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MUSKOKA — Five suspected impaired drivers were charged across Muskoka in the past week, including three within a 24-hour period over the weekend, prompting the Ontario Provincial Police to renew warnings about summer road safety.

While overall impaired driving numbers aren’t visibly significantly higher than usual, police say every incident poses a serious risk to motorists, passengers and the public.

Drivers charged with impaired operation face immediate consequences, including a 90-day driver’s licence suspension and a seven-day vehicle impoundment, in addition to criminal charges.

Police are urging motorists to plan ahead before consuming alcohol or drugs by arranging a designated driver, taking a taxi, using public transit or staying overnight. Officers stress that any amount of alcohol or drugs can impair a person’s ability to operate a vehicle safely.

The weekend arrests began Saturday, July 25, at about 3 a.m., after officers responded to a report from a member of the public about a driver’s condition in Muskoka Lakes Township. Police located the vehicle travelling southbound on Highway 11 in Bracebridge and conducted a traffic stop.

Weekend busy on streets, back roads, Hwy. 11

Ashley Bone, 41, of Mississauga, was arrested and charged with:

  • Impaired Operation
  • Operation While Over 80

Bone is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on Sept. 1, 2026.

Later that evening, at 9:50 p.m., officers conducting a RIDE check on Windermere Road in Muskoka Lakes Township launched another impaired driving investigation.

Joshua Levy, 18, of North York, was charged with:

  • Impaired Operation
  • Operation While Over 80

Levy is also scheduled to appear in Bracebridge court on Sept. 1.

Just over four hours later, at about 2:15 a.m. Sunday, July 26, a Bracebridge officer on general patrol near Quebec Street observed a vehicle being driven in a manner that raised concern. Following a traffic stop, police arrested the driver.

Ruth Johns, 25, of Bracebridge, was charged with:

  • Impaired Operation
  • Operation While Over 80

Johns is also to appear in Bracebridge court on Sept. 1.

The three weekend arrests followed two earlier impaired driving charges during the week.

On Tuesday, July 21, at about 9:10 p.m., Huntsville OPP officers stopped a vehicle on Brunel Road. After an investigation, Julia Ann Dann, 34, of Bracebridge, was charged with:

  • Operation While Impaired — Blood Alcohol Concentration Over 80

Then, shortly after midnight on Thursday, July 23, officers patrolling Highway 11 near Gryphon Lodge Road, south of Huntsville, found a vehicle parked on the highway shoulder. Their investigation resulted in charges against Trisztan Tarnoci, 26, of Toronto, who was charged with:

  • Operation While Impaired — Blood Alcohol Concentration Over 80
  • Operation While Impaired — Alcohol and Drugs

Dann and Tarnoci were released from custody and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge in August.

Anyone who suspects an impaired driver should call 911 immediately. Suspicious or unlawful activity can also be reported to the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online.

It’s an ongoing battle to keep roads safety any time of the year, but summer always seems to bring about a few more charges, including five the past week alone.

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